By all accounts, the Falcons are using that 28-3 Super Bowl lead as fuel for 2017 instead of running away from it.

Good idea, because every team in the division has the goods to challenge them just to get out of the NFC South.

Which is saying a lot considering one of those teams tossed its general manager overboard barely a week before training camp opened. There could be an immediate payoff for the Panthers’ shakeup, though, if the move eases the reported locker-room tension. The Buccaneers are poised to break through, or at least poised to face the expectations about breaking through. The Saints are hit-and-miss lately, but it’s never smart to assume they’ll keep missing.

NFC South: 2017 predictions

Atlanta Falcons

Matt Ryan is the reigning MVP, but this year, save a few votes for Julio Jones, not to mention the rest of the wealth the Falcons have on offense. No one will have a bigger spotlight on him than Steve Sarkisian, Kyle Shanahan’s replacement as offensive coordinator; the blame will land on him if the unit slips.

Even with what’s possible with the Cowboys, calling the Falcons the NFC favorites to go back to the Super Bowl is not unreasonable.

Carolina Panthers

Sure, a lot can go wrong. Cam Newton could take a long time to recover from shoulder surgery, Christian McCaffrey could be a rookie bust, the line improvements could fail to improve, the post-Josh Norman secondary could keep being troublesome.

But best-case scenario, they can get back to their Super Bowl form from two years ago pretty easily.

New Orleans Saints

They need so much to go well, and in at least one area, it already hasn’t — center Max Unger’s offseason foot surgery. They don’t particularly view trading away Brandin Cooks as a problem; to them, Michael Thomas is just fine as a replacement.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The other three quarterbacks in the NFC South have all gone to the Super Bowl; one has won, and two have won regular-season MVPs. Some who know would take Jameis Winston right now over all three, which is why the Bucs are the team to watch.

Winston now also has DeSean Jackson and rookie O.J. Howard helping him. If the whole roster matures fast and collectively, they could make the leap many are predicting for them.